Electronics banned from cabins on some Middle Eastern and African flights to U.S.
Source: CNN
Airlines that fly from certain countries in the Middle East and Africa to the U.S. must require passengers to check in almost all electronic devices rather than carry them into the cabin, said a U.S. official.
The official told CNN that there is a security concern regarding passengers boarding non-stop flights to the U.S. from some specific countries. The directive is to ensure enhanced security measures at select airports for a limited duration.
The source said it will impact over a dozen airlines flying into the US. Another US administration official says this covers devices larger than a cellphone.
In a written statement, the Department of Homeland Security said, "We have no comment on potential security precautions, but will provide any update as appropriate."
Read more: http://money.cnn.com/2017/03/20/news/companies/middle-east-airline-electronics-ban/index.html
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If it's the possibility of a bomb hidden in an electronic device, putting it in the baggage area won't help matters, as bombs hidden in checked luggage have brought down many aircraft, most notably Pan Am 103. If it's a matter of sending commands over such devices, that can be done with a (still permitted) mobile phone, but couldn't be done over several of the banned devices.
Meanwhile, the upshot of such an order will be many more items with lithium batteries traveling in the luggage hold, where they present a far greater fire hazard.
